The ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) made its way into the Assembly discussions today (11 April) with Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MLA SP Venkateshwaran seeking a ban on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team led by MS Dhoni for not having Tamil players.

Venkateshwaran said "Even though there are talented players in Tamil Nadu, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team has not selected even one player from the State. They are making a profit from our people by advertising as if they are a Tamil Nadu team."

Asking the Tamil Nadu government to arrange tickets for MLAs, SP Velumani of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) said that earlier, MLAs used to get upto 400 tickets for IPL matches but they aren't given tickets now.

Responding to Velumani, Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) is responsible for IPL tickets and the government cannot provide them. Further, he said it would be better if he (Velumani) asks Amit Shah's son Jay Shah (the BCCI Secretary) because Shah would be more likely to listen to alliance partner AIADMK than the DMK on the issue.

CSK fans have been complaining about the inability to get tickets online. Some of them have alleged that employees of India Cements ( the owners of the franchise) are getting many tickets, which are then sold in the black market for highly inflated prices.

Others said that because of the inability of the public to get tickets easily, certain stands are going empty.

IPL tickets for MLAs

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